Nitrated carbohydrate explosive and process of producing same



PHILIP WEIGZ'EEEMAN, PEEZ'NSYLVJi-Eifiu T E. I. DU EGHE' OU'ES E COMPAE'Y, Q73 WILMINGTQN, DELAWARE, CQJBPORELTION 0F DEE-Jirr AND 9F EEGD'UUHVG SAME Application filer December 2, 192?. Serial No siwfififi.

My invention relates particularly to explosires obtained by uitretiug solutions of carbohydrates in polyliyrlri alcohols and has for its obiect the produce of liquid ex ic-sives possessing satisifs tory properties ii clyriumitc-s siiol coutuiuiug higher po ions of carbohydrates than it has been dfllll' to use heretofore is of? sugars in glyce or in mixcriue with other p yclric alcocu. Widely userl in. size manufaciquui explosive dyiium "e ingrcdlieutso sugar possesses c l .e. one howl g s of lorrerug tuccost onol clofreez ng p 6; oil the riitrete l euro. on tee otl arid the disadloweriug tli. ility and. ino the viscosity oi the etc-(l profieliy melons it more icult to wash to settle to a low moisture con- "ce, av solution oi about euriiost extensive used. Wliile i e been iii to introduce other o "tics in place or? sucrose, this carboi tire form oi c :J or loeet sugar is considering {$37. yield, exploies, some or? sucrose lies been precto use more time sugar without spewith s .i a

octicul 'lil. fiiyiurrres The is ors which liswe limited the pro portion oi suger iii pus-t ere as follows:

L With glyceriiie or glyceriuodiglycerine fixtures the use of more then 20% sucrose, ier dissolrerlor suspeuried gives a iiitreteti oil high viscosity tlist it is impracticol without special equipment and process to purify, stsbilize, sudl settle to low moisture couteot s With. glyceriiie-diglyceriue mixtures the use of more than 20% sucrose either iissolve or sus cuckoo gives a iiitrstecl product of 1111' lesirs ly low sensitiyenessi 3. With. glycerine, liglycerine, ethylene W glycol, or mixtures of these polyhydric elco= hols, the solubility of sucrose is so low thetthe dissolution of more than calinot be accomplished. without great danger of scorcliing the solution, and. the solution, if prepared, does u olstemi or practical length of time Willi-- out crystallization taking place.

The composition of e saturated solution of cane sugar in glyceriue ethylene glycol, or mixtures these at normal room tempers. tore for example '10" is about 8% to sugar and 92% to glycerine or ethylene glycol, although su per-saturated solutions contain? g 530% to 25% sugar will stand at room zero-tore c-orisirlersble time before crystalli mg. 'llie preparation of o solution of more than 25% sugar in glycerine glyceririe or et cue glycol seems imprsc i cal because the lug-her temperature required scorclics the solution. lhe use of over 2-5 A} solution seems iui iracticsl because of the relatively ropicl rote oi crystallization at room temperature and because scorching takes place if the solution is stored above the tempperet urc of the ssturution point. Scorched solutions cause separation and Washing trou bles in preparing the nitretecl roduct.

Ethylene glycol has recently ecome avail: able iii. commercial quantities for use in the proper" ion. of? losire oils. The introcluction or this I'Fieerial in glycerine-suger mirttures gives s iiitratecl produce of lower viscosity, which is more readily purified and which. produces clyiioniites of increased sensitive ness. Therefore, in the presence of ethylene glycol clinitrete, larger proportions of nitrsteri sugars may be satisfactorily useun Invert sugar aricl many of the mouoseccharities are more soluble in polyhydric alcohols than sucrose. Tliese aldohexoses soil ketoheroses such as glucose, fructose, nose, are not as sstisfectory es sucrose owing to their low yields on nitration 21.216 the properties of the explosives produced. It is therefore lesira'ble to obtain the full e lveutags of sucrose by using the precticsl mexi= mum proportiousncl then to use a more solu ble sugar in solution with the sucrose. proportion of sucrose which it is practical to coliols 61s Eli pends upon both the solubility of sucrose in the solvent and the viscosity of the solution. I have discovered that by dissolving in a 'polyhydric alcohol medium a monosaccharide in addition to the sucrose, the practical maximum proportion of sucrose may be retained in solution in addition to substantial proportions. of monosaccharide and that these solutions on nitration produce explosive oils suitable for use in commercial explosive compositions.

The following specific example is given to illustrate my process :For reasons stated .above, 25 parts sucrose in 75 parts ethylene glycol is the maximum proportion of sucrose which it is practical to satisfactorily use in this solvent. In applying my process a solution of 25 parts sucrose and parts glucose in 60 parts ethylene glycol may be used. The solution is subjected to the action of a mixture of sulfuric and nitric acids. The nitrated product is allowed to separate in the usual way. It is drawn OE and washed with water,

sodium carbonate solution and sodium chloride solution. A stabilizer, such as for example diphenylamine, may be added. Additional washes, purification and stabilization may be used if desired. The nitration, purification and stabilization are essentially the same as for a solution of sucrose in glycs erine. The product obtained is satisfactory for use in commercial explosive compositions.

In addition to the above example, the following further illustrate compositions which may be employed in carrying out my process sucrose 15% glucose ethylene glycol 30% glycerine 20% to 25% sucrose 10% to 30% glucose I to 70%ethylene glycol 20% to 25% sucrose 10% to 30% glucose 20% to 00% ethylene glycol 20% to glycerine In place of glucose, another monosaccharide may be used such as fructose ormannose,

or a mixture of monosaccharides may be used. In place of ethylene glycol, another glycol ormixture of glycols may be used, or any polyhydric alcohol solvent such as diglycerine may be introduced.

The practical maximum proportion of sucrose will vary somewhat depending upon the polyhydric alcohol solvent and also upon the viscosity and the temperature of storage of the solution.

While I have described my invention and given detailed and specific examples, I do not limit myself to the carbohydrates and polyhydric alcohols mentioned nor to the proportions given, but include within the scope of my invention the use of any highly soluble carbohydrate which maybe used in addition to sucrose in order to increase the proportion of carbohydrate while using the maximum proportion ofsucrose.

I claim:

1. A process of manufacturing an explosive containing nitrated sugar, which comprises nitrating a solution-of a monosaccharide and disaccharide in polyhydric alcohol,

said solution containing more than 5% monosacchari'de and about 25% disaccharide.

2. A process of manufacturing an explosive containing nitrated sugar, which comprises nitrating a solution of a monosaccharide and sucrose in polyhydric alcohol, said solution containing more than 5% monosaccharide and about 25% sucrose.

tion of a monosaccharide anda. disaccharide in polyhydric alcohol, said solution contain- :ing more than 5% monosaccharide and about 25% disaccharide.

8. Explosive obtained by nitrating a solution of about 25% sucrose and 10% to 20% glucose in polyhydric alcohol. 4

9. Explosive obtained by nitrating a solution of 25 parts sucrose and 15 parts glucose in 00 parts ethylene glycol.

In testimony whereof, I a my signature.

PHILIP G. IGHTSMAN; 

